Pivotal joint of piano-actions



A. D. TOWNER.

PIVOTAL JOINT 0F PIANO ACTIONS.

APPLICATION FILED 05c 16,1919.

1,365,209. 1 316111131 Jan. 11,1921.

lumen/Z221 A .D. Town/er,

ByZKWM i-borlzey UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR DANESBURY TOWNER, OF WHITLEY BAY, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO PETTERS LIMITED, OF YEOVIL, ENGLAND.

PIVOTAL JOINT 03 PIANO-ACTIONS.

Application filed December 16, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR DANESBURY TowNnR, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at 16 North Parade, \Vhitley Bay, in the county of Northumberland, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Pivotal Joints of Piano -Actions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the striking mechanism or actions of pianofortes and similar striking mechanisms or actions employed in connection with musical instruments and has for its object to improve the pivotal bearings of the striking hammers or similar pivoted members with a view to obviating shakiness of the strike and permitting adjustment of the bearings for the purpose of correcting deficiencies due to wear or varying atmospheric humidity.

With this object in view the usual bearing sleeves or bushings of felt or like material for the pivot pin of the striking hammer or pivoted member are located according to the present invention in a recess between two parts adapted to be adjustably clamped together.

The frictional contact between the bush ings and pivot pin may be varied as required, in order to insure easy rotation of the pivot pin within the bushing without unduev slackness, by adjusting the clamping together of the two parts.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference is hereinafter made to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred construction of the pivotal bearing of the striking hammer of a pianoforte or other musical instrument.

Figure 1 being a fragmentary side view of the striking mechanism,

Fig. 2 a rear view thereof,

Fig. 3 a perspective view showing the clamp broken away, and

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the eccentric pin.

In the preferred construction illustrated, the fulcrum member 1 of the striking hammer 2 is formed with a tongue 3 which carries the pivot pin 4: firmly therein. The butt 5 of the striking hammer 2 is bifurcated or slotted at 6 to fit the tongue 3 and the fulcrum member 1 and the bifurcations of the body 5 are provided with holes Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

Serial No. 345,275.

adapted to receive the bearing sleeves or bushings 7, of felt or like material, which are adapted to support the two ends of the pivot pin 1. The bifurcations of the hammer-butt are preferably provided (as illustrated) with a transverse saw-cut 8 passing diametrically through the hole containing the bearing sleeves or bushings 7, this sawcutextending almost across the butt 5 as clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 3,thus forming a pair of clamping pieces 9 which are connected to the main body of the butt 5 at the termination of the saw-cut 8. The said sawcut 8 is adapted to be compressed so as to vary the frictional contact of the bearing sleeves or bushings 7 on the pivot pin 4 by means of a clamp 10 preferably constructed in the form of a metal strip having a slot 11 therein adapted to receive an eccentric pin 12 (Fig. 4), the latter being secured in the main body of the hammer butt 5 and having a slotted head 12 or other device for enabling the pin to be rotated.

The metal strip 10 extends partly around the clamping pieces 9 and is preferably turned inwardly at 13 to fit in a recess in the clamping pieces 9 so that on the rotation of the eccentric pin 12, the eccentric portion 12" thereon engaging the slot 11,

will cause the clamp 10 to draw the clamping pieces 9 toward the main body of the hammer butt 5.

Instead of providing a saw-cut 8 to form clamping pieces 9, a separate adjustable clamping piece or pair of clamping pieces may be provided adapted to compress the bearing sleeves or bushings 7 into contact with the pivot pin 4.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An adjustable bearing for mechanism of pianofortes and analogous musical instruments including a fixed member carrying a pivot pin, a movable member formed with a hole therein, a resilient bushing in said hole. a saw cut formed in the movable member in a plane including the axis of said hole, a clamping piece, a rotatable pin on said movable member, and a cam surface on said rotatable pin engaging a slot in the clamping piece whereby the saw cut may be adjustably compressed.

2. In combination in striking mechanism or actions for pianoforte or other musical instruments a hammenbutt, a lateral slot partially severing said hammer butt, a fixed pivot pin, a resilient bushing inserted in the said lateral slot and embracing said pivot pin, a bifurcated metal clamping member, a rotatable eccentric pin cooperating with said clamping member to effect clamping of the bushing upon the fixed pivot pin to a degree dependent upon the setting of said 10 rotatable eccentric pin.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR DANESBURY TOWNER. 

